I think its a sad commentary that "celebrity" allows you to get away with things that the majority of the population would be crucified for. But a celebrity? no. People let them off way to easy. Jackson, O.J. Robert Blake.. you get the gist. And its not just violent crimes like murder or molestation but drugs, car accidents, stealing.. it boggles my mind.

Jackson may have had a terrible childhood but that doesn't negate what he has done.

Im curious what will happen to his children? Do they have a chance at a normal life? If they go with his family, considering the abuse allegations, it doesnt seem like they will. If they go with their biological mother who had them for money, gave them away for money and will only take them back because of money, normal seems unlikely.

I have never understood the weeping and wailing when a celebrity dies, or why their deaths are supposed to have more value than anyone else's. Some are good people, some are freaks, some are plain worthless, but to cry over a celebrity? We have World War 2 veterans who are dropping like flies. These are the guys who put their butts on the line for the duration in most cases. Every time I talk to one at my job, I just want to reach through the phone and give them a hug and shake their hands. I have a hard time not crying when I realize these guys are in the upper 80's and some of them are living on less than I spend on groceries each month. And all the other veterans who served to do what they thought was right, and those who still are. (Sorry, working with veterans has made me a bit protective of most of these folks.) And there are incredibly noble people who pass away every day, but you don't see the world stop for them. The world slams to a halt to cram Anna Nicole Smith down your throat, but when the cop who saved a kid from harm gets shot, we forget about it two minutes later. Michael Jackson had some good music and some cool videos, but compared to people who have more impact on my life, I could go the rest of my life and not think about his passing. As a person, he didn't matter beyond a few hours of entertainment. I feel bad for his kids maybe, but his family will continue to make a circus of his life because they can make money from it. Turn the page and find something more important to worry about.

Huh boy. There's a lot of hate for MICHAEL JACKSON 'round here. I suppose I understand it. Name calling is easy, and I know I'm certainly guilty of it too, particularly about MICHAEL. Hate is easy. Forgiveness is difficult.

As I confessed, I had tears for MICHAEL. I don't know why and was surprised by myself. I never would have guessed that I gave a sh!t about him.

I do think that a celebrity gets the attention he might at death because unlike most of the deaths we are surrounded by daily, a celebrity, particularly of the enormous caliber of MICHAEL JACKSON, are known to us. We all know MICHAEL, perhaps too well for many, and that can leave one feeling, even a non-fan (such as myself) a sense of loss. Death is of course final. There can be no reparation, repatriation, or reconciliation. We are left only with questions.

I've been telling people that if he did molest kids then his soul is burning in hell right now where it should be. I've always kind of rode the fence about if he truly did that stuff. It always seemed to me that in the 1993 trial that that kid's father was only after money. Even the kid's own mom stood behind MJ and said he was innocent. Most people forget that. I mean if someone like MJ had molested my child, money would be the farthest thing from my mind. Seeing MJ rot away in prison would be what I would want. In the more recent molestation trial it felt like his lifestyle was on trial moreso than if he truly did molest that particular boy. MJ was weird to the hilt but who truly knows if he really molested any kids.

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"There is no way out of here. It'll be dark soon. There is no way out of here."

Huh boy. There's a lot of hate for MICHAEL JACKSON 'round here. I suppose I understand it. Name calling is easy, and I know I'm certainly guilty of it too, particularly about MICHAEL. Hate is easy. Forgiveness is difficult.

As I confessed, I had tears for MICHAEL. I don't know why and was surprised by myself. I never would have guessed that I gave a sh!t about him.

I do think that a celebrity gets the attention he might at death because unlike most of the deaths we are surrounded by daily, a celebrity, particularly of the enormous caliber of MICHAEL JACKSON, are known to us. We all know MICHAEL, perhaps too well for many, and that can leave one feeling, even a non-fan (such as myself) a sense of loss. Death is of course final. There can be no reparation, repatriation, or reconciliation. We are left only with questions.

For me, MICHAEL JACKSON's death is too telling.

I would never argue your right to feel the way you do. I just don't understand it. I've never understood people who want to punch you if you say something against their favorite band. To me, it is all the same. The intertwining of one's Self with people you do not know but only know of is...alien. Feeling sorrow for someone I've never met is odd.

Now, if you tell me that you were moved to cry because you know that the loss of potential for more things that may affect your personal enjoyment of life is taken away, I can understand that. When Jim Varney died, I went down to the basement and cried like a baby. It was rather self-serving because I knew I would never see new material that might make me laugh like "Earnest Saves Christmas" did. I cried for me. Jim Varney was beyond any pain I might empathize with.

Maybe I'm just insensitive, but I can't cry for the loss of "great art" because there may never have been anymore from Michael Jackson, and I can't cry because the world lost another person, and I wasn't his friend or relative. And I never cared for his music enough to even cry for myself, that I won't get to hear another album of his.

I would never argue your right to feel the way you do. I just don't understand it. I've never understood people who want to punch you if you say something against their favorite band. To me, it is all the same. The intertwining of one's Self with people you do not know but only know of is...alien. Feeling sorrow for someone I've never met is odd.

Now, if you tell me that you were moved to cry because you know that the loss of potential for more things that may affect your personal enjoyment of life is taken away, I can understand that. When Jim Varney died, I went down to the basement and cried like a baby. It was rather self-serving because I knew I would never see new material that might make me laugh like "Earnest Saves Christmas" did. I cried for me. Jim Varney was beyond any pain I might empathize with.

Maybe I'm just insensitive, but I can't cry for the loss of "great art" because there may never have been anymore from Michael Jackson, and I can't cry because the world lost another person, and I wasn't his friend or relative. And I never cared for his music enough to even cry for myself, that I won't get to hear another album of his.

To quote myself: "As I confessed, I had tears for MICHAEL. I don't know why and was surprised by myself. I never would have guessed that I gave a sh!t about him."

"Intertwining" myself? No. As I have written on this forum before, I think of myself as a wise clown, but know I'm a sentimental fool.

I've been telling people that if he did molest kids then his soul is burning in hell right now where it should be. I've always kind of rode the fence about if he truly did that stuff. It always seemed to me that in the 1993 trial that that kid's father was only after money. Even the kid's own mom stood behind MJ and said he was innocent. Most people forget that. I mean if someone like MJ had molested my child, money would be the farthest thing from my mind. Seeing MJ rot away in prison would be what I would want. In the more recent molestation trial it felt like his lifestyle was on trial moreso than if he truly did molest that particular boy. MJ was weird to the hilt but who truly knows if he really molested any kids.

I was reading recently about the first accusation. It was part of a tribute thing. How he met the boy, how the original charges came about. The most interesting thing about it is apparently the boy's father, a dentist, pumped his son full of drugs than asked him if he'd been molested. The father also blackmailed Jackson, on tape. At the very least, the whole situation was flaky and weird - like everything around MJ from the early 90s and on, really.

Similar stuff surrounded the latter accusations. Just weird. I'm not really convinced he's a child molester, but I can't say I'm truly convinced of his innocence either.

Whatever the case, his death is a huge event in pop culture. It feels like the last little bit of 80s pop culture died with him, kind of like how the 60s finally died with John Lennon. I can't really be that upset over most entertainer's deaths, since I don't have a personal connection to very many of them. But, it's still a pretty big event, symbolic of a broader change. I guess that's about all I can say.

If you watched that show that MJ was crucified for, and tried to put yourself in his shoes for a moment, you'd realize he isn't the monster people made him out to be. He had a huge heart, a bigger ego, and terrible people surrounding him.

But, the real monster in all of this is the media. I saw the press conference Sharpton and Joe Jackson had yesterday. Last night on Anderson Cooper all they could talk about was Joe plugging his new record company. Not that he couldn't hear the questions reporters were throwing at him at once. Or the meaning behind the company. There's no slack given to anyone, just sound bites. They should lose a child and then get up and answer questions.

I saw a new story other dayw here someone was claiming they saw Michael Jackson's face on Friday in some clouds over New York. I have seen the image and I don't see it. However in grief, people will see what they want if it brings comfort to them.One thing I have heard mentioned is some people taking their own lives over Jackson's passing. I heard it mentioned briefly in a news report but have yet to find anything news articles claiming this has actually happen. Personally, I can't see any celebrity worth killing myself over. I don;t care who they are. They are jsut people who happen to be fortunate enough to have talent (or in the case of reality TV, just being a P.I.T.A.). I seriously wonder about the mental health of those who are so enthralled by a celebrity that their whole world revolves around one.Finally, WTF is wrong with Joe Jackson? His son just died and the main thing he wants to talk about is his new record company? I think that is also a bit messed up. Like Michael Jackson or not, this just shows that his father stopped seeing him as his child and instead as a money making buisness a long time ago. Most parents would be rather devestated by the passing of their child at any age. Just look at how his mom is for an example of that. She is severely heartbroken, yet his dad is more concern about making sure people hear about hsi new record company than mourning his son. That is seriously messed up.

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Movie Trivia Fact : O.J. Simpson was considered for the title role in The Terminator, but producers feared he was \"too nice\" to be taken seriously as a cold-blooded killer.<br />Isn\'t hindsight great.<br />A person is smart. People are dumb, panicky dangerous animals and you know it. - Agent Kay - Men in Black